I'm Seriously Considering Getting a Mac...

[PoliticalChic]

I REALLY can't wait to get back on this board regularly for some spirited debates... For almost a month, I've been literally consumed with computer problems -- viruses, a computer dying, and two replacements that have been unsuccessful. I've been a die-hard Dell fan for over 15 years, but after a month of contacting them on almost a daily basis and getting two computers that failed to connect consistently to the internet, I think I've given up on them. The general quality of their technicians and customer care providers have gone down dramatically and because they have so many customers, I'm just another face in the crowd and they don't care that I've been a loyal customer for this many years.

In a nutshell, the two replacement Dell desktops were getting intermittant internet connection and I know that the problem is NOT with the internet service provider (Optimum Online -- cable), modem, nor the router. The reason I know this is that I have I have other computers that connected fine without interruption during this whole time.

To the Mac Users: Do any of you have PC's? and how easily are you able to use files between the Mac and PC? For example if I use a Microsoft Excel document or Microsoft Word document, can I edit back and forth between the Mac and PC?

What is their tech service like? Are they available for online, phone, and in-store support?

We rely heavily on the computers for our homeschooling and I can't afford to spend more time troubleshooting and sending back more duds. Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions you may have.

 

[KittenKoder]

Open Office works on Mac as well.

OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite

 

[Shogun]

install ubuntu and look forward to quick, painless wifi compatibility!





Dells suck. They really do. Their pc prices are a direct reflection of numerous cut corners on the hardware end. I'm kinda curious to what you mean, specifically, by "computers dying"... and, to be honest, network connection issues happen regardless. Perhaps you just need to install a nic card instead of using the onboard pos that I'm betting your dell currently uses.

 

[KittenKoder]

install ubuntu and look forward to quick, painless wifi compatibility!





Dells suck. They really do. Their pc prices are a direct reflection of numerous cut corners on the hardware end. I'm kinda curious to what you mean, specifically, by "computers dying"... and, to be honest, network connection issues happen regardless. Perhaps you just need to install a nic card instead of using the onboard pos that I'm betting your dell currently uses.

Do you ever have any real advice to offer or just ignorant rants about things you know nothing?

 

[Steve Jobs]

To the Mac Users: Do any of you have PC's? and how easily are you able to use files between the Mac and PC? For example if I use a Microsoft Excel document or Microsoft Word document, can I edit back and forth between the Mac and PC?

In nearly all cases, yes. Microsoft Office is available for the Mac, so an Office document made on a Mac is going to look exactly the same on a PC, and vice-versa.

What is their tech service like? Are they available for online, phone, and in-store support?

Yes, and they speak English. 'Nuff said.

We rely heavily on the computers for our homeschooling and I can't afford to spend more time troubleshooting and sending back more duds. Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions you may have.

Always get the most RAM, fastest processor and best graphics card you can afford (this really applies to all computers, not just Macs.) Also I'd recommend an external FireWire 800 hard drive for Time Machine backups. (These are labeled "for Mac" or "Mac edition" as they have FireWire 800 and come preformatted HFS+, the Mac file system.) Macs have read-only support for NTFS, the default Windows file system, so if you have an external hard drive that you used with a PC, you can copy your files from it to the Mac.

All I can think of for now.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Run Linux on your PC instead of windows

I just replaced my dell that I bought in 1999 last night with a new dell.

 

[Zoom-boing]

We have Dell and don't have any problems. We run Firefox rather than IE to access the internet and find it runs faster and better. I know nothing about MACs except that they are expensive and there is a learning curve going from Microsoft to MAC.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

We have Dell and don't have any problems. We run Firefox rather than IE to access the internet and find it runs faster and better. I know nothing about MACs except that they are expensive and there is a learning curve going from Microsoft to MAC.

Yup firefox is good, i use internet exploder though.

 

[Shogun]

install ubuntu and look forward to quick, painless wifi compatibility!





Dells suck. They really do. Their pc prices are a direct reflection of numerous cut corners on the hardware end. I'm kinda curious to what you mean, specifically, by "computers dying"... and, to be honest, network connection issues happen regardless. Perhaps you just need to install a nic card instead of using the onboard pos that I'm betting your dell currently uses.

Do you ever have any real advice to offer or just ignorant rants about things you know nothing?

hey bitch, Dells are notorious for cutting hardware corners. You'd know that if you had anything more to add besides screaming ubuntu like a fucking doomsayer with a sandwich board convinced that the end is nigh. Id have advised to get an actual nic card instead of the pos onboard option that come on dells as a standard. But, since you clearly want to shill some gay fucking wannabe OS at people despite the cavalcade of fucking connection issues ubuntu ITSELF has I guess, again, you are going to have to forgive me for not taking your silly ass seriously on another computing thread.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

install ubuntu and look forward to quick, painless wifi compatibility!





Dells suck. They really do. Their pc prices are a direct reflection of numerous cut corners on the hardware end. I'm kinda curious to what you mean, specifically, by "computers dying"... and, to be honest, network connection issues happen regardless. Perhaps you just need to install a nic card instead of using the onboard pos that I'm betting your dell currently uses.

Do you ever have any real advice to offer or just ignorant rants about things you know nothing?

hey bitch, Dells are notorious for cutting hardware corners. You'd know that if you had anything more to add besides screaming ubuntu like a fucking doomsayer with a sandwich board convinced that the end is nigh. Id have advised to get an actual nic card instead of the pos onboard option that come on dells as a standard. But, since you clearly want to shill some gay fucking wannabe OS at people despite the cavalcade of fucking connection issues ubuntu ITSELF has I guess, again, you are going to have to forgive me for not taking your silly ass seriously on another computing thread.

Why so harsh...oh wait its shogun

On a serious note my dell is STILL GOOD and its 10 years old. I just figured it was time to get a PC with more than one processor and processors that are faster than 1.2 ghz.

Maybe other people have had problems but my 2 year old dell laptop and my 10 year old dell computer haven't failed me.

Now ACER on the other hand....yuck.

 

[Shogun]

if you open your dell you'll find MAYBE three expansion slots and probably nothing else. Dells achieve lower prices by throwing as much junk on the motherboard as possible. I'm betting that any problems the OP had with net connection could have been fixed with a 20 dollar nic card instead of pretending macs are some kind of computing panacea.


the masses of disillusioned ubuntu users who, ironically, discover that it's not error free understand my reaction to a goddamn clone like Koder.

 

[Toro]

Do it.

I crashed by third PC in a 18 months, I got so pissed off I literally walked into the store and bought a Mac on the spot.

A Mac is inferior if you do a lot of Office or if you play video games. It also takes a bit of getting used to since the OS is different, and it is not quite as perfect as the True Apple Believers would like you to think. However, I love my Mac, have had it for over three years now, and I ain't goin' back.

 

[Annie]

I love my mac. It's now nearly 5 years old and never a problem. I paid the bucks for Windows for Mac-necessary for school, though I've been liking the mac programs, which interface well with my online ed sites.

 

[BasicGreatGuy]

You could buy 2 nice laptops, for what a MAC would cost. Unless you have money to burn, it doesn't make sense to overspend.

If you have to have Windows, consider HP. If you don't have to have Windows, these people sell quality computers and have excellent customer service, should you ever need it.

- system76, Inc.

 

[sarahgop]

i agree. get an HP compaq presario.

 

[Toro]

i agree. get an HP compaq presario.

That was the third computer that crapped out on me.

Piece of junk.

 

[Terry]

PC,

If you decide not to go with a Mac I will tell you from my experience that Alienware has awesome tech support, and if you bought one of their great machines I would suggest buy the extended warranty for the tech issue alone. I had my machine for 6 months, and my DVD rom wasn't being recognized. (it didn't show up on pc) I called the tech (24/7 live americans) and they took control of my PC to double check what I had done and they agreed with me that it was a bad IDE cable. They sent me 4 in the mail the next day!!!!!!!! with instructions on how to install it. (I didn't need to know that)

Best tech support ever in my opinion. If you buy that extended Tech support they will actually send someone out to your house if they cannot fix it with you while on the phone.

Alienware are more pricey then your Dell's but there is a reason and that is because they stand by their components and name.

 

[Terry]

PS the reason for the faulty IDE cable in the first place was one of their assembly guys creased it where he shouldn't have, and it sliced in half.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I have more computers than I have brains! Simply too many computer toys. At the present time I have a HP Touchscreen desktop computer and I have a total of 5 different PC laptop computers. Several months ago I purchased a 17 inch Mac Powerbook Pro. When I purchased it I also purchased Aperature and iWork. I love the Mac. It seems I can do things much easier on the Mac. I would like to have a nice Mac desktop and I will get one when this one is no longer to my liking. I have a lot of money tied up in a PC and multiple PC laptops that I wish I had invested in the Mac. When it is the appropriate time I will switch over to all Mac computers.

 

[Terry]

I have more computers than I have brains! Simply too many computer toys. At the present time I have a HP Touchscreen desktop computer and I have a total of 5 different PC laptop computers. Several months ago I purchased a 17 inch Mac Powerbook Pro. When I purchased it I also purchased Aperature and iWork. I love the Mac. It seems I can do things much easier on the Mac. I would like to have a nice Mac desktop and I will get one when this one is no longer to my liking. I have a lot of money tied up in a PC and multiple PC laptops that I wish I had invested in the Mac. When it is the appropriate time I will switch over to all Mac computers.

You do not need all those laptops so you can mail me one!